153 research outputs found
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No full textAbstract: Accurate reconstruction of phylogenetic trees often involves solving hard optimisation problems, particularly the Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) problems. Various heuristics yield good results for these problems within reasonable time only on small datasets. This is a major impediment for large-scale phylogeny reconstruction. Roshan et al. introduced Rec-I-DCM3, an efficient and accurate meta-method for solving the MP problem on large datasets of up to 14,000 taxa. We improve the performance of Rec-I-DCM3 via parallelisation. The experiments demonstrate that our parallel method, PRec-I-DCM3, achieves significant improvements, both in speed and accuracy, over its sequential counterpart
Planting Methods Effect on Weed Dynamics and Weed—Crop Interaction in Finger Millet
No full text<p>A field experiment was conducted at farmer field of Sundarbazar, Lamjung during rainy season of 2020 with an objective to determine the dynamics of weed with respect different planting methods and varieties. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications where five varieties (KabreKodo 1, KabreKodo 2, Dalle 1, Okhale 1 and local) were used as the main plot factor and three planting methods (Direct sowing;10x10 cm, Conventional transplanting; 10x10 cm with 15 days old seedlings and System of Crop Intensification; 25x25 cm with 30 days old seedlings) as sub plot factor. Result showed that among 5 genotypes of weeds based on Importance value index, <i>Cyperus rotundus</i> was the most dominant during the initial stage but after the first weeding, <i>Ageratum haustinianum</i> dominated the field. Weed biomass and density was recorded highest in directly sown field than that in transplanted field. Among the transplanted crop, weed infestation was seen higher in SCI than in conventionally transplanted finger millet due to wider spacing. But after the first hand weeding, due to profuse root growth and tillering in SCI, weeds were suppressed and thus weed biomass was observed higher in CT. After one hand weeding, SCI showed higher weed control index, crop resistance index and planting method efficiency index in terms of yield. Weed infestation was observed higher in Dalle 1 among varieties.</p>
Rapid coordinate system creation and mapping using Crickets
Get PDFThesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2004.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-56).In this thesis, I describe a system that lays the foundation for context-aware applications. This system allows a user to set up a reference coordinate system in a room, using three Cricket listeners attached to a wooden frame. The system then assigns coordinates to Cricket beacons, which are placed on the ceiling. Finally, by using the frame in conjunction with a laser range finder, the user can generate a map of the room in the reference coordinate system, complete with features including doors, walls, and windows. This thesis also describes necessary changes we implemented that made the Cricket positioning system much more accurate.by Roshan Bantwal Baliga.M.Eng
Assessing the viability of growing Agave Tequilana for biofuel production in Australia
No full textGovernments around the world have been introducing policies to support the use of biofuels since the 1990s due to its positive influence in climate change mitigation, air quality, fuel supply security and poverty reduction through rural and regional iindustry growth. In Australia, liquid fuel is in high demand and this demand is increasing every year. To meet the current fuel demand and to address climate change impacts, it is important for Australia to invest in green and clean energy. Biofuels are one of the options for clean and green energy that could help to reduce the demand for fossil fuels. Not only developed countries but also developing countries are interested in reducing dependence on imported fossil fuel and promoting economic development, poverty reductions and improving access to commercial energy through biofuel policies. However, the major challenge for the biofuel industry is to find the right feedstock that does not compete with human feedstock and can grow in marginal land. One of such feedstock that is studied in this research is Agave tequilana.Overcoming many of the constraints to establish Agave tequilana as a potential feedstock in Australia requires an understanding of the complex technical, economical and systemic challenges associated with farming, processing and extracting ethanol. The aim of this research is to study the viability of growing Agave tequilana as a potential biofuel feedstock in Australia. The study also explores and highlights the economics of growing this crop, with the idea of comparing the costs and benefits of growing Agave tequilana with that of sugarcane. Agave tequilana has been selected for this study because of the existence of a trial site at Ayr, Queensland and because of a similar climate and rainfall pattern to that of the western central highlands of Mexico where Agave is traditionally grown for the production of tequila. In this study, the viability of growing Agave tequilana for producing ethanol in Ayr, Queensland has been assessed using a case study approach and financial cost and Green House Gas (GHG) saving have been estimated using life cycle cost analysis. Likewise, Agave tequilana and sugarcane agronomic practices have been compared and ibofuel policies have been highlighted using secondary sources to support the establishment of non-food crops such as Agave tequilana in Australia and elsewhere.Ayr, Queensland is predominantly a sugarcane growing area where sugarcane farmers occupy 88% of the total agricultural land available. The remaining 12% has been set aside for other crops and cattle grazing or alternatively, some land may remain unused. In this study, farmers expressed that there is very limited land in Ayr available for Agave tequilana to be commercially viable until the sugarcane growing land or cattle grazing land is converted into Agave fields. However, it appears that both farmers and stakeholders are ready to accept Agave tequilana as a potential biofuel crop, if it is to be established on marginal lands in the sugarcane belt of Queensland, rather than in the Burdekin region which is predominately a sugarcane growing area.The study also found that only 33% respondents were acquainted with this crop, and that a smaller group were aware of the potential of the crop to produce biofuel. Farmers indicated they would wait until the first trial outcomes are finalised and more research and development is undertaken on this crop before deciding to invest. Since this crop takes at least five years to provide a financial return compared to existing crops in the region, most of the respondents expect higher returns of 20-25% at the end of harvesting time and would prefer interim payment. Farmers may also require initial assistance from the government such as subsidised farm machinery, subsidised fuel and interest free loans before deciding to invest. Life cycle stages of Agave tequilana have been derived taking sugarcane as a base crop. At the first trial site, more than 65% of the cost of farming Agave tequilana in Australia occurred in the first year of plantation, and allowed the conclusion that existing tools and machineries are able to be modified and used in farming Agave tequilana in Australia. The tequilaindustry provides a model for biofuel production from Agave tequilana. In Australia, the cost of producing ethanol from Agave tequilana is estimated to be around A113.5 million.The level of support provided to the biofuel industry by the Australian government is relatively less significant compared to other advanced countries such as USA and EU. However, the support provided by both the federal and state level programs has provided significant amounts of support to the biofuel industry in Australia. In future, if Agave tequilana is to be selected as a potential non-food crop biofuel feedstock, the government and the private sector need to explore the financial opportunities in marginal and semi marginal regions of Australia for supplementing the viability of producing ethanol with new technology. It is also necessary to explore the business case to modify the existing sugar processing mills to produce ethanol from Agave tequilana from its juice and bagasse.</p
Designing a Digital solution for improving Electronics waste recycling practices supporting SDGs: A Case study using Participatory design principles
No full textKathmandu valley, the largest EEE market of Nepal is experiencing emerging challenges with the rise of electronic waste (e-waste). Data from Nepal’s department of Environment shows that 18000 metric tons of e-waste were generated inside Kathmandu valley in 2017. While e-waste management is one of the biggest and serious issues, the Nepal government has not given the required priority to tackle the problem. The use of electronics has been growing and will continue to do so as technology advances but the lack of proper guidelines and regulations regarding proper disposal or reuse of electronic waste can cause serious problems by directly affecting human health, the environment and holding back sustainable development. The problem of e-waste has convinced different environmental agencies of various countries to innovate, develop, and adopt environmental solutions and a better strategy for E-waste recycling.The main objective of this research is to analyse the e-waste recycling scenario in the context of Nepal and to use this data and understanding to design a digital solution as an intervention and instrument for co-constructing sustainability transitions in electronic waste recycling practices. This research conducts an intensive literature review, interviews with different stakeholders, questionnaire with a young user group and a virtual future workshop. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviours, the researcher observed that although individuals have keen interest in recycling their electronic appliances, they are not being aided towards their recycling habits due to several different factors such as lack of proper facility, insufficient information etc. Although many of the participants in the research have great willingness to recycle, they are not able to do so because of the system where they are not given any educational awareness regarding the different forms of recycling and are not provided with the right means to do so.The data collected from the various data collection methods had guided the design of the mobile application as a digital solution to improve the current problem in the practices of e-waste recycling.The concept of the mobile application is based on the 3Rs of the sustainability practices: Recycle, Repair, Reuse. And the main features of the application are based on 5 Information system roles (i) Information element; (ii) Gamification element; (iii) Education Element; (iv) Communication service and (v) Trading platform.This research starts with an attempt to understand the challenges of both the recycling companies and individuals based in Nepal, and based on the data collected throughout the research, ends with offering a solution in the form of a mobile app for e-waste management. <br/
Treating Common Variable Immunodeficiency With Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin: A Challenge With Several Social Determinants of Health
No full textChallenges in Virtual Testing of Autonomous Vehicles
No full textThe worldwide development of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) has also encouraged the use of software simulators for virtual testing of AVs. However, the effectiveness of the AV simulators is constrained by numerous challenges, such as their computational cost and lack of fidelity in specific areas. In this paper, we describe the modality of virtual testing and its benefits for AV development and validation. Moreover, we summarize and provide an overview of the state-of-the-art AV simulators, their limitations, and the current directions toward improvement.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Signal Processing System
Assessment of quality of life in patients undergoing hemodialysis using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire: a multicenter study
No full textUtsav Joshi, Roshan Subedi, Prakash Poudel, Prajwol Ram Ghimire, Sagar Panta, Mahesh Raj Sigdel Department of Internal Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal Background: Assessment of quality of life (QOL) of patients with end-stage renal disease has become increasingly important, both in order to evaluate the influence of the disease on patients and the type of renal replacement therapy they require. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to assess QOL in patients undergoing hemodialysis and evaluated the effects of various sociodemographic factors affecting QOL of such patients in Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 patients with chronic kidney ­disease undergoing hemodialysis at two major centers in Nepal. Demographic data including age, sex, ethnicity, educational status, marital status, employment, income, duration of illness, and duration on hemodialysis were collected. QOL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Four domains (­physical, psychological, social, and environmental) and two items (overall perception of QOL and health) of the WHOQOL‑BREF were the primary end points of this study. Bivariate relationship between sociodemographic factors and QOL scores were analyzed using independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of QOL. Results: Following QOL scores were recorded: environmental domain (53.17±15.59), psychological domain (51.23±18.61), social domain (49.86±21.64), and physical domain (45.93±16.90). Older age was associated with a better QOL score in the social domain (p=0.005), and employed patients scored better in the environmental domain (p=0.019). Unemployed patients and those of the Terai/Madhesi ethnic group had significantly low scores in overall perception of health (p<0.05) as compared to other groups. Low income status and increased duration on hemodialysis were found to be the only independent negative predictors of QOL in patients with hemodialysis (p<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis had overall low QOL scores in all four domains. Age, ethnicity, employment status, income, and duration on hemodialysis affected one or more domains of QOL in such patients. Low income status and increased duration on hemodialysis were the only independent negative predictors of QOL of patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Keywords: quality of life, hemodialysis, WHOQOL-BREF, chronic kidney disease 
Food System and Water–Energy–Biodiversity Nexus in Nepal: A Review
Get PDFWater, energy, and biodiversity are essential components for building a sustainable food system in a developing country like Nepal. Green Revolution technologies and the package of practices largely ignored the role of ecosystem services, leaving a large population of small farmers’ food- and nutrition-insecure. Biodiversity, especially, agrobiodiversity is in decline and this vital cross-cutting element is less discussed and interlinked in nexus literature. The interlinking food system with water–energy–biodiversity nexus, therefore, is essential to achieve a resilient food system. It ensures the vital structures and functions of the ecosystem on which it is dependent are well protected in the face of increasing socio-economic and climatic stress. This paper reviews the food system of Nepal through the lens of the food–water–energy–biodiversity (FWEB) nexus to develop a more robust food system framework. From this approach, food system foresight can benefit from different nature-based solutions such as agro-ecosystem-based adaptation and mitigation and climate-resilient agro-ecological production system. We found that the FWEB nexus-based approach is more relevant in the context of Nepal where food and nutrition insecurity prevails among almost half of the population. Improvement in the food system requires the building of synergy and complementary among the components of FWEB nexus. Hence, we proposed a modified framework of food system foresight for developing resilience in a food system, which can be achieved with an integrated and resilient nexus that gives more emphasis to agro-ecological system-based solutions to make the food system more climate resilient. This framework can be useful in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) numbers 1, 2, 3, 6, 13, and 15 and can also be used as a tool for food system planning based on a broader nexus
Hepatitis B virus induced cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-mediated vasculitis causing subarachnoid hemorrhage, acute transverse myelitis, and nephropathy: a case report
No full textAbstract Background Transverse myelitis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and nephropathy are established but rare complications of hepatitis B virus infection that can potentially be triggered by an antibody-mediated vasculitis as a result of a viral infection. The following is a case report detailing a patient presenting with all three of the above presentations who is cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive and a chronic carrier of hepatitis B. Case presentation A 33-year-old Nepalese man presented to our hospital with headache, swelling of his body, paraplegia, and back pain that developed over a period of 10 days. Laboratory studies showed proteinuria and elevated levels of serum urea and creatinine. Viral serology was suggestive of chronic inactive hepatitis B carrier state. A computed tomography scan of his head revealed features suggestive of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Magnetic resonance imaging of his dorsal spine showed diffuse T2 high signal intensity within his spinal cord extending from second to 12th thoracic vertebral level which was suggestive of transverse myelitis. The origin of these symptoms was attributed to immune complex-mediated vasculitis after serum analysis for cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody came out positive. He was managed with steroids administered orally and intravenously and entecavir administered orally. Conclusion This case highlights the possibility of a hepatitis B virus-induced vasculitis as the cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage, transverse myelitis, and nephropathy
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